Large carnivores such as Lions and African Wild Dogs are under threat from conflict with humans in their natural habitats.

To ensure that these species survive, we must resolve this issue in areas where populations would otherwise still have a chance of long-term survival. This project will improve local livestock husbandry in order to reduce losses to predators, as well as helping educate villagers about carnivore ecology.

Lions and African Wild Dogs are top predators in Tanzania and play an essential role in controlling prey species and promoting healthy populations by culling sick animals. Unfortunately, their propensity to attack livestock can pit them against local farmers. Taronga Western Plains Zoo has a large pack of African Wild Dogs, having kept the species for nearly 30 years, and have bred many pups within the program.

The Wild Conservation Research Unit of the University of Oxford was founded and developed by Professor David Macdonald. His idea was to tackle the emerging biodiversity crisis and wider environmental issues by bridging the gap between academic theory and practical problem solving.